Machine and method for surface finishing objects



Aug. 31, 1965 E. J. GIESE 3,203,139

MACHINE AND METHOD FOR SURFACE FINISHING OBJECTS Filed Feb. 14, 1963 5Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 2

INVENTOR. ELROY J. GIESE ATTORNEYS 8 1965 E. J. GIESE 3,203,139

MACHINE AND METHOD FOR SURFACE FINISHING OBJECTS Filed Feb. 14, 1963 5Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 5

INVENTOR ELROY J. GIESE a 79 ATTORNEYS E. J. GIESE Aug. 31, 1965 MACHINEAND METHOD FOR SURFACE FINISHING OBJECTS Filed Feb. 14, 1963 5Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. ELROY J. GIESE a ATTORNEYS E. J. GIESE Aug. 31,1965 MACHINE AND METHOD FOR SURFACE FINISHING OBJECTS Filed Feb. 14,1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. ELROY J. GIESE Fay 5 170g ATTORNEYSMACHINE AND METHOD FOR SURFACE FINISHING OBJECTS Filed Feb. 14, 1963 E.J. GIESE Aug. 31, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 mx TE m6 WJ Y O R L E ATTORNEYSUnited States Patent 3,203,139 MACHINE AND METHOD FOR SURFACE FINISHINGOBJECTS Elroy J. Giese, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to TomlinsonIndustries, Inc, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Feb. 14,1963, Ser. No. 258,493 13 Claims. (Cl. 51-140) This device relates to amachine for surface finishing a work piece having a plurality ofsurfaces.

The use of abrasive belts as a surface finishing technique has greatlyincreased during the past few years. The popularity of this techniqueis, in large part, attributable to the speed and economy with which asurface may be finished. However, due to factors of commercial appeal,as well as technical perfection, there are many items having a pluralityof surfaces that require a finishing operation. It is in the area ofmulti-surfaced objects that it has been recognized that, althoughabrading belts are superior to most other techniques, still greatereconomy would be desirable. The same need for economy is present insurface finishing a multi-surfaced work piece by techniques other thanabrading belts, as for example, milling machines and grinding wheels.

It is an object of this invention to provide a machine for surfacefinishing a work piece having a plurality of surfaces.

It is a further object of this invention to offset greater economy inthe surface finishing of a multi-surfaced workpiece by providing amultiple head grinder with each of the heads operating simultaneously onthe piece.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a device forsurface finishing a hexagonal work piece wherein a minimum amount ofmanual manipulation of the work piece is required.

It is another object of this invention to provide a surface finishingmachine wherein the machine may be adjusted to receive a wide range ofdifferent sizes of work pieces.

It is a more specific object of this invention to provide a devicewherein a work piece holder reciprocates the work piece past a pluralityof simultaneously operating grinding heads with the work piece holderbeing rotated at the conclusion of its stroke thereby to presentdifferent surfaces of the piece to the grinding heads on the returnstroke.

The embodiment of the invention includes a work piece holder with meansfor periodically reciprocating and indexing the holder during theoperation of the machine. Timing means are provided for thereciprocating and indexing means so that the work holder is indexedthrough a predetermined angle at the completion of each stroke of thereciprocating means. A plurality of abrading belts are arranged adjacentto the path of reciprocation of the holder whereby the abrading beltsare in operative contact with a work piece carried by the holder.

With the disclosed arrangement the operator need only place a work pieceon the holder and start the machine whereupon the holder will move thepiece past the abrading belts to grind or polish a portion of thesurfaces on the piece. At the completion of the first pass of the piecepast the belts, the machine automatically indexes the holder through apredetermined angle followed by the return stroke of the holder. Sincethe holder has been rotated, different surfaces on the work piece arepresented to the abrading belts on the return pass, thereby completingthe finishing operation. The operator then removes the finished piecefrom the holder and substitutes an unfinished piece and the cycle isrepeated.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a schematic showing of the abrading belts ice and work-pieceholding mandrel as the mandrel begins its downward stroke;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing the mandrel at the completionof its forward stroke as it is being rotated;

FIG. 3 is a View similar to FIG. 1 showing the mandrel as it begins itsreturn stroke;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing the mandrel as it is beingrotated at the completion of its return stroke;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the apparatus showing the relationship of theabrading belts and the work-piece supporting mechanism;

FIG. 6 is a plan view similar to FIG. 5 showing more in detail thework-piece supporting mechanism;

FIG. 7 is a view taken along line 77 of FIG. 6 showing in elevation thework-piece supporting mechanism;

FIG. 8 is an elevation view taken along line 8-8 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is an elevation view of one of the abrading belts and itssupport;

FIG. 10 is a view taken along line 1010 of FIG. 9 showing the adjustablebase for the abrading belt support; and

FIG. 11 is a view taken along line 1111 of FIG. 9.

Referring to the drawings more in detail, and in particular to FIG. 5,the four principal components of the machine are illustrated in theiroperative relationships. Reference numeral 1 indicates generally thework-piece support and operating mechanism therefor. Three identicalgrinding belt driving mechanisms are indicated generally by thereference numeral 2. As is clearly evident from FIG. 5, the grindingbelt drives are equally spaced by around a common point of convergence,although other spacings may be used depending on the shape of thearticles.

Turning first to the work-piece support and operating mechanism in FIG.7, there is provided a frame 3 secured by bolts 4 to the floor or to asuitable base plate. The frame 3 includes an upright member 5 secured bygussets 6 to the base 7 of the frame. Secured to the upper portion ofupright 5 by bolts 8 is a support member 9 having spaced apart sideportions 10 and a base portion 11. Carried by the base portion 11 is aconventional fluid cylinder 12. The cylinder 12 is seated vertically onthe support 11 with its reciprocating piston arm 13 projectingdownwardly through a cutout portion in the support 11. The cylinder 12is provided with conventional fluid supply lines 14 and 15. Also carriedby the support 11 is a guide 17 having a dovetailed groove 18 formedtherein and reinforced by a Web member 16.

Slidably received in the dovetail groove 18 is a sliding member 19. Atthe lower extremity the sliding member 19 is an integral projection 20which is secured by threaded nuts 21 to the piston rod 13 of thecylinder 12. At the side of member 19 opposite to projection 20, a worksupporting platform 22 is secured by bolts 23. The heads of the bolts 23are received in a T-shaped slot 24 formed in the member 19 whereby theplatform 22 may be secured in adjusted positions along the length of themember 19. The platform 22 includes a lower leg 25 which is normal tothe sliding member 19 and a gusset plate 26 which acts to rigidify thecantilever leg 25.

Mounted at the outer end portion of the cantilever leg 25 is a worksupporting unit indicated generally by the reference numeral 27. Thework supporting unit 27 includes a base 28 internally of which is aconventional reversible indexing mechanism (not shown). The indexingmechanism is operatively connected to a mandrel support 29 which isrotatably mounted on the member 28.

Carried in an internal recess in the support 29 is an elongated mandrel30 secured by screws 31.

As is shown in FIG. 7, the mandrel includes a lower shank portion 32 andan upper reduced end 33 having a pointed free end 34. The reducedportion 33 of the mandrel 30 provides a shoulder portion 35 which servesas an abutment against which the hex stock rests during the grinding andpolishing operations. A rubber washer may be interposed between the endof the stock and the abutment 35 in order to provide a better frictionalrelationship between the hex stock and the mandrel'and thereby preventrelative movement of the hex stock during the grinding operation.

Returning to the upright member 5, there is provided at one side thereofa projection 37 secured by welds 38. Passing through the projection 37and fixedly secured thereto is a rod 39 having spaced collars 4dslidably secured to the rod 39 by set screws 41. Secured by welds 42 tothe collars 40 and extending transversely to the length of the rod 39are projecting rods 43 with each of these rods 43 having at the outerend thereof a flat platelike member 44.

Secured to the sliding member 19 is a control valve 45. The controlvalve 45 includes an air supply inlet 46 and outlets 47a and 47b. Thevalve 45 is of a conventional construction and includes plungers 48adapted to co-operate with the plates 44- to thereby control the flow ofthe air through a selected one of the outlets 47a and 47b. The outlets47a and 47b are connected by an appropriate means to the fittings 49aand 4% on the member 28. An exhaust fitting 50 is also provided for exhaust of the air from the indexing mechanism in the member 28.

It may be seen that movement of the sliding member 19 causes the valve45 to be positioned such that one end of the plunger 48 engages one ofthe plates 44, thus causing the air supply to be directed through one ofthe outlet fittings 47a and 47b and into the indexing mechanism throughone of the inlet fittings 49a and 4%. Movement of the sliding member 19in the opposite direction causes the opposite one of the plungers 43 toengage the other of the flat plates 44 and thereby close the flow of theair through the one. line and allow the air to go through the other ofthe fittings 47a and 47b through the other of the inlet fittings 49a and49b and into the indexing mechanism. This reversal of flow causes theindexing mechanism to rotate in a reverse direction and thereby indexthe mandrel 30 in the opposite direction.

Turning to FIGS. 6 and 8, it may be seen that the sliding member 19 hasa T-shaped groove 51 disposed in one side and extending the full lengththereof. Slidably secured in the T-shaped groove 51 are threaded bolts52. Carried by the bolts 52 are upper and lower actuator members 53 and54, respectively. As most clearly shown in FIG. 6, these actuatorsconsist of an upright portion 55 and an integral L-shaped lower portion56. By virtue of the T-shaped slot 51 and the bolt 52 disposed therein,the position of the actuators 53 and 54 may be varied along the lengthof the sliding member 19.

Secured to the upright member 5 by bolts 57 are supporting brackets 58carrying upper and lower switches 59 and 60, respectively. Each of theseswitches includes a member 61 adapted to co-operate with the actuators53 and 54- in the upper and lower positions of the sliding member 13,respectively. These microswitches 59 and 60 serve as stroke limitingdevices for the operation of the hydraulic cylinder 12 and therebycontrol the upper and lower limits of vertical reciprocation of themandrel 30. A conventional hydrocheck, indicated generally by thereference numeral 62, is provided whereby the speed of the verticalreciprocation of the sliding member 1% and the mandrel 30 may be varied.

Turning to FIG. 9, there is shown one of the grinding belt assemblies.Each of the grinding belt assemblies are supported-on a column 63 whichin turn is secured by welds 64 to a plate 65. The plate 65 has flanges66 on opposite sides with each of these flanges 66 being slidablyreceived in grooves 67 of a guide plate 68. The guide plate 68 issecured tov base 69 by Welds 70. Upstanding lugs 71 are secured to thebase plate 69 and threadedly receive adjustment screws '72. Theadjustment screws 72 serve as a means for securing the plate 65 in anadjusted position along the guide plate 68. It should be noted that aT-shaped slot and bolt arrangement also might be used in lieu of theflange and groove.

At the upper end of the column 63 is a cross guide 73. The cross guide73 is slidably received over the column 63 and secured by set screw 74,whereby the guide may be adjusted vertically along the length of thecolumn. The guide 73 includes a bore through which passescylindrical'bar 75. Secured at one end of the bar 75 is a bearing 76which rotatably receives the shaft 7'7 of a pulley 73. At the other endof the bar 75 there is mounted a motor 79 which is drivingly connectedto a pulley 80. A grinding or abrading belt 81 is received around thepulley 78 and 80.

At the extreme upper end of the column 63 there is secured a fiat plate82 which supports at one end a vertical rod 83. Secured to the rod 83 bya conventional clamping means is a bracket 84 which may be adjustedlengthwise of the rod 83. The bracket 84 supports a pneumatic feedingdevice, generally indicated by the reference numeral 85. The pneumaticfeeding device 85 includes a cylindrical container 36 having pneumaticinlet and outlet fittings 87 and 88, respectively. A suitable timing andcontrol device is employed in connection with the pneumatic feedingdevice 85 to meter upon the grinding belts 81 at predetermined times asuitable amount of lubricant and/ or grinding compound.

Turning to the operation of the machine, attention is directed first toFIGS. 1 to 4. With the mandrel 39 in the upper position, a piece ofhexagonal stock is placed over the mandrel so that it abuts the rubberwasher carried on the reduced portion 33. The grinding belts are incontinuous operation and, it should be noted, that the direction ofrotation of the grinding belts is in a counterclockwise direction.

As the grinding belts are rotating the cylinder 12 is actuated wherebythe sliding member 19, the platform 22 and the mandrel 30 are caused tobe moved to the dotted line position shown in FIG. 7. As the cylinder 12moves the mandrel 30 to the lower position the grinding belts 81 passalong the associated surfaces of the hex stock and perform the finishingoperation. Due to the counterclockwise rotation of the grinding beltsthe hex stock, which is otherwise unrestrained, is frictionally forcedby the rotation of the grinding belts in a direction downward againstthe shoulder 35. It may be seen that should the grinding belts beoperated in an opposite direction the frictional force exerted by thegrinding belts would tend to lift the hex stock 01f the mandrel as themandrel is moved downward.

After the mandrel has been moved to its lowermost position, which isdetermined by the adjustable actuator 54 and the micro-switch 60, theplunger 48 on the control valve 45 abuts the flat plate 44 on thelowermost arm 43, thereby causing the air supply to pass throughdifferent pairs-of the inlet and outlet fittings 47a and 47b and 49a and4%, thus causing the index mechanism (not shown) to rotate through apredetermined angular movement. By virtue of the indexing operation,different surfaces of the hex stock are now aligned with the threegrinding belts so that as the piston 13 begins its return stroke thegrinding belts 81 will operate on the unfinished surfaces of the stock.

As the mandrel reaches its uppermost point, as determined by theadjustable actuator 53 and the micro-switch 59, the control valve 45will abut the plate 44 on the uppermost of the arm 43, thereby reversingthe fiow of air into the indexing mechanism causing the indexingmechanism to rotate the mandrel 30 in an opposite direction.

. At the same time, the operator will remove the hex stock from the endof the mandrel and replace it with another unfinished piece and thesequence of operation will begin anew.

A considerable degree of flexibility is inherent in the devicehereinabove described. Due to the adjustable mounting of the grindingbelt assemblies, various widths of work-pieces may be accommodated.Utilizing the adjustable actuators 53 and 54, as well as theadjustability of the platform 22, work-pieces of diverse lengths may befinished with only a minimum of simple adjustments required. Also, it isbelieved apparent that any number of grinding wheel assemblies may beutilized depending upon the number of surfaces on the piece of stock tobe finished.

As used herein, the terms finishing and surface finishing contemplatenot only the use of abrading belts, but also other devices such asgrinding wheels and milling machines that perform an operation on thematerial as the material passes by the tool,

The foregoing detailed description is given merely by way ofillustration and it should be understood that variations may be madewithout departing from the true spirit or scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A device for surface finishing a work-piece having a plurality ofsides comprising,

a holder for said work piece,

means for reciprocating and indexing said holder,

finishing means positioned adjacent to the path of reciprocation of saidholder,

timing means for said reciprocating and indexing means, whereby saidholder is indexed at the end of each stroke of said holder to therebypresent an unfinished surface to said finishing means on the returnstroke.

2. A machine for finishing hexagonal work pieces comprising,

a holder having a free end adapted to receive the workpiece thereover,

means for periodically reciprocating and indexing said holder,

a plurality of finishing means comprising a plurality of grinding beltsadjacent to the path of reciprocation of said holder,

means rotating said belts in a direction to assist in re taining thework-piece on the free end of the holder during the grinding operation;and

timing means associated with said reciprocating and indexing means andoperable to cause indexing of said holder at the completion of eachstroke of said reciprocating means.

3. The machine of claim 2 wherein said timing means are adjustable tovary the length of stroke of the reciprocating means and the point inthe reciprocation cycle wherein the indexing occurs.

4. A work holding mechanism comprising a frame,

a fluid cylinder having a piston rod fixedly secured to said frame,

a guide member secured to said frame adjacent to said hydrauliccylinder,

said guide member having a dovetailed groove formed therein,

a slide member movably received in said dovetail groove of said guidemember,

means interconnecting said sliding member with said piston rod of saidcylinder,

a work supporting platform secured to said slide member,

a Work receiving mandrel mounted on said platform,

indexing means operably connected to said mandrel to periodically rotatethe same,

.a control valve for said indexing means mounted on said sliding member,

spaced apart actuating arms carried on said frame and adapted to actuatesaid control valve,

adjustable stops carried on said sliding member,

spaced apart limit switches carried on said frame and l 6 adapted toco-operate with said stops to thereby limit the stroke of said cylinder.

5. In a surface finishing machine, a reciprocating work supportcomprising,

an upright frame,

guide means on said frame,

means including a platform co-operating with said guide means andmovable between an upper and lower position,

a work supporting upright mandrel supported on said platform with saidmandrel having a free end,

indexing means on said platform and operable to periodically rotate saidmandrel,

means carried on said frame for reciprocating said platform,

limiting means on said frame and co-operable with said reciprocatingplatform means to define the upper and lower limits of thereciprocation,

timing means operatively connected with said indexing means and operableto cause indexing of said mandrel at each of the upper and lower pointsof reciprocation.

6. In the machine of claim 5,

,a plurality of grinding means;

said grinding means being convergent on said mandrel;

and

adjustable bases supporting each of said grinding means for movementtoward and away from said mandrel.

7. A method of machine finishing a multi-surfaced object with a machinehaving a work-holder for receiving the object, means for verticallyreciprocating and indexing said holder and finishing means adjacent tothe path of reciprocation of said holder comprising the steps of,

placing the object on the work holder,

moving the holder with the object in a first vertical direction past thefinishing means to finish a part of the surfaces of the object,

indexing the holder to align the remaining unfinished surfaces on theobject with the finishing means,

and moving the holder with the object in a reverse vertical direction tocomplete the finishing operation.

8. A machine for surface finishing work pieces comprising:

a holder having a free end adapted to receive a work piece thereover;

means associated with the other end of said holder for periodicallyreciprocating and indexing said holder;

a plurality of finishing means angularly arranged around said holder andconvergent on the adjacent path of reciprocation of the free end of saidholder; and

timing means associated with said reciprocating and indexing meansoperable to cause periodic indexing of said holder.

9. A surface finishing device comprising a frame;

a guide member secured to said frame, with said guide member havingadovetailed groove formed therein;

a work supporting platform;

means received in said groove and connecting said platform to said guidemember for movement relative thereto;

actuating means on said frame for imparting movement to said platform;

a mandrel mounted on said platform adapted to receive a work piecethereon;

a plurality of surface finishing means adjacent said mandrel, saidsurface finishing means being angularly displaced around said mandreland convergent thereon whereby a plurality of surfaces on a work piececarried by said mandrel may be finished by said surface finishing meansas said platform and mandrel are .actuated by said actuating means.

10. The surface finishing device of claim 9 wherein said meansinterconnecting said platform with said guide means includes a slidemember movably received in the dovetail groove of said guide member; and

adjustable means interconnecting said slide member with said platformwhereby the position of said platform on said slide member may beadjusted.

11. A surface finishing machine comprising:

a vertical frame; 7

guide means on said frame, with said guide means having a verticallyextending groove formed therein;

platform means operatively received in the groove in said guide memberand being movable between an upper and lower position;

a vertically extending Work-supporting mandrel rotatably carried by saidplatform means;

indexing means on said platform means operatively associated with saidmandrel periodically to rotate said mandrel;

actuating means on said frame for reciprocating said platform memberbetween said upper and lower positions;

timing means [operatively connected with said indexing means and beingoperable to actuate indexing of said mandrel at predetermined points inthe reciprocation of said platform means;

aplurality :of rotatable surface finishing means angularly displacedaround said mandrel, with said surface finishing means being convergenton said mandrel whereby the surfaces on a work piece carried by saidmandrel may be finished by said surface finishing means as the mandrelreciprocates through the area of convergence of said surface finishingmeans.

12. The combination of claim 11 including:

means for rotating said surface finishing means in a direction to assistin retaining the work piece on the holder during the finishingoperation.

13. A method ofsurface finishing a multisurfaced object comprising thesteps of:

providing a plurality of rotatable surface finishing means equal innumber to at least one-half of the surfaces on the object to befinished;

providing a mandrel adapted to receive a multisurfaced object over oneend thereof;

arranging the surface finishing means angularly around the mandrel, withthe surface finishing means converging on the mandrel;

passing the mandrel with the object thereon in a first direction throughthe area of convergence of said surface finishing means thereby tofinish a part of the surfaces on the object;

rotating the mandrel and the object at the end of travel in the firstdirection to align the remaining unfinished surfaces on the object withthe surface finishing means;

passing the mandrel and the object in a direction opposite to the firstdirection through the area of convergence of said surface finishingmeans thereby to complete the finishing operation.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 572,812 12/96Longden 51-140 1,850,799 3/32 Junge 51-2165 2,206,492 7/40 Westenbergeret a1. 51-2165 2,740,236 4/56 Flygare et al 51-921 2,753,670 7/56Carapucci 51-140 X 2,802,311 8/57 Linden et a1. 51-140 2,945,332 7/60Gury et a1 51-140 2,998,678 9/61 Belock et al 51-2165 LESTER M. SWINGLE,Primary Examiner.

5 JOHN C. CHRISTIE, Examiner.

1. A DEVICE FOR SURFACE FINISHING A WORK-PIECE HAVING A PLURALITY OFSIDES COMPRISING, A HOLDER FOR SAID WORK PIECE, MEANS FOR RECIPROCATINGAND INDEXING SAID HOLDER, FINISHING MEANS POSITIONED ADJACENT TO THEPATH OF RECIPROCATION OF SAID HOLDER, TIMING MEANS FOR SAIDRECIPROCATING AND INDEXING MEANS, WHEREBY SAID HODER IS INDEXED AT THEEND OF EACH